Thanks

To all those that have suported us during our trip, we thank you very much.  It was a magic time and we feel blessed to have exerienced the things we have during the past 4.5 months away.

We are happy to see our families again, especially our dogs who gave us such a special welcome home.

Thanks to you all.


Love Steve and Petrina

Back on Aussie soil

Yay, mummy we missed you.  The dogs were squeeking a lot once they saw us return

Our bag did not hold up well, but its 13yr old

 

US of A

Nearly Home

Before we made our last flight home we thought we would stop in New York for a week and then stop by and see our friends in Orange County LA.  After about 4 months in a country where we were a novelty and a fish out of water we enjoyed talking in English again, even if occassionally we were mis understood.

New York

If there was one word to describe our time in NY, it would be....... COLD.  We were caught short a few jackets but soon worked our layering out.  New York is amazing, you all know it from movies and shows but after experiencing the Big Apple wehave a new interest in the place.  But instead of typing lots, we will let our pictures do the explaining for us.

The view from Rockafella Centre

Rockafella Centre

Times Square, just in case we forget what year we visited

Its so big says Steve!  Time Square again

Petrina next to one of the many steam vents that emerge from the bowels of the earth here

Kelly Slater; I guess after 10 world titles have your images in lights over Times Square is deserved.

Left and above, NY state library. 

Taken looking skyward from the terrarium-like underground Apple store

Scouts (pub) from SATC

NY cheesecake, so good.  Juniors is one of the oldest establishments to enjoy this fab desert

The M&Ms store....Three levels of M&Ms.....

Ahh, what a woman!

The following images are of Central Park, such a photogenic place. 

 Los Angeles - Part Two

On our way back to Australia we stoppped by our new friends in Orange County.  However we did find time to visit Disneyland and also a second stop off at Hollywood. 

Steve surfed with Seals and said it was the coldest water he has been in, but at least the outside temp was quite enjoyable.

With frozen hands Steve needed some assistance. The wetsuit was a lot thicker than he is used to at home so was quite difficult to remove.

When there is no surf, you go tarp surfing. 

Trestles beach.  Just like in the movies!

Huntington beach  (above and below)

These are actually skateboards

Out to see the OC sights.  The neighbourghood was just like a scene from Desperate Housewives!

In n Out, a huge burger chain in California and more cooler and tastier than the big M.

Our California family - Barb, Ralph, Kelly & Jeff

 

Mexico - its a wrap! Part 3 of 3.

We've talked about the good and the bad...and now its time for the just plain mexican, or as we like to tag it the muy méxicana (the very mexican stuff)!

First things first - Shoes!  Mexicans love em!  I have never seen so many shoe stores with soooooo many types of shoes - I never knew there could be so many styles of thongs!  But every girl here needs a pair of brightly coloured chanclas (thongs), fake converse or ballet flats to go with her tight tight jeans, hoop earrings and heavy eye make-up.  If you’re a Mexican chica, you’ve definitely mastered the art of liquid eyeliner by the time you hit adolescence.  This completes your look as the uniform of all Mexican females under 30!

Inside one of the more upmarket zapato (shoe) stores

Street names.  Every puebla (town) in Mexico street named after – Benito Juarez (Mexicos first Indigenous president), Guadalupe (the Latino iteration of the virgin Mary), Insurgentes (political rebellion), Real de ...... (a bonafide anything), and all of them seemed to have a place called the Zocalo as their central square.  Then they all have numbered calles (streets) running Poniente (east-west) and Norte (north-south).  The numbering system is kinda handy cos when you’re looking for something, you know how many blocks you should expect to walk before you arrive.  Just be sure your cab driver hears you right when you tell them your destination….calle primero oreinte (1^st street east-west, where we lived in Tapachula) is a long way from calle primero norte (1^st street north-south) as we learnt once or twice…

 

An example of the thoughful numbering system, shown here by 6th street

The music.  Well they love it loud and proud.  Seems like your either a Marimba fiend (the crazy tropical xylophone sounding thing below) or a Ranchero person (like a cross between country and ska).  One day walking home from work there was a Marimba music set-up (just the one in the photo) suddently happening in the alleyway in one of the entrances to our apartment.  Random. 

A Marimba set-up.  This one was in the Tapachula market.

Piño - we will actually miss the smell of this cleaning fluid which definitely had the monopoly in mexico…so well marketed and branded.  Kind of similar to blu tack or glad wrap in Australia in that it gets called by its brand name…even the kids would ask for pino, not detergent / disinfectant, to do their cleaning chores!

Petrina and Alejandra, 7-ish, cleaning the walls at Misión México Albergue, undoubtably con Piño (with Pino)

The street dogs.  So many perros de calle around about the place, even the Mexicans admitted it was a bit of a sad and sorry state of affairs.  Here are a selection of our favourite perros de calle, some homeless, some not...

This was our buddy who lived on the corner between our place and the orphanage.  We named him Sueño, spanish for sleepy.  He was always asleep or at the very least, lookin like he'd prefer to be....

This lil cutie made frieds with us out the front of cafes in Peurto Escondido.  Who could resist flickin a chip or two her way with those sad lil peepers?

This big guy just made himself at home next to Petrina on the sand one day in Peurto Escondido.  Turned out he was waiting for his owner who was out having a surf.  No leads needed here...

A pampered pooch in traditional mexican poncho get-up that we snapped in Oaxaca.  Tidy little fashionista we think!